Panel discussion in memory of veteran journalist Kuldip Nayar

Has the boundary between an editor and a proprietor blurred today? Has the glass ceiling in the field of journalism stiffened? What are the real duties of media organisations?

These were some of the questions that were debated and deliberated upon by some veteran journalists and editors here on Tuesday evening during a panel discussion held in memory of eminent journalist Kuldip Nayar.

"A newspaper and an editor's first duty is to the public and the second duty is to the proprietor. What sometimes happens, when power increases, is that the temptation of a state or a proprietor to use power for their own use, increases," noted journalist and former editor Prem Shanker Jha said.

 

Editor of The Statesman Ravindra Kumar, senior journalists Saeed Naqvi and Rahul Bedi also joined in the panel that was moderated by Editor-in-Chief of The Citizen Seema Mustafa.

One of the common issues raised by them was that whether in relation to today's scenario there was a "seduction of the journalism" by the organ of the state.

Veteran journalist and former editor H K Dua, who was among the audience, underlined that during his career there always was a 'lakhshman rekha' (sacred dividing line) between an editor and a proprietor that he followed.

Mustafa, in response to a question, raised the issue of "glass ceiling" which, she feels, still exists in the field of journalism.

"The glass ceiling has in fact stiffened today. But, I must say, the word journalist is a gender-neural term and people should be seen by virtue of their talent and not as male or female in this profession," she said.

"So, it doesn't matter if a panel is an all-women or all-men or one gender outnumbering the other, it is an all-journalist panel," Mustafa said in response to a question over the controversy over an all-women line-up on a BBC show.

The event was also attended by Nayar's son and other family members.

Nayar, known as a crusader for civil rights and press freedom, worked in several newspapers including as the editor in the Statesman. He was arrested during the Emergency.

The veteran journalist and author died here on August 23 aged 95.